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Pregame Notes: Rangers vs. New York Islanders

by
Staff Writer
/ New York Rangers

NEW YORK RANGERS VS. NEW YORK ISLANDERS

Tuesday, Oct. 14, 7:00 p.m. ET

Madison Square Garden – New York, NY

Islanders: 2-0-0 (4 pts)

Rangers: 1-2-0 (2 pts)

TONIGHT’S GAMEThe Rangers continue their four-game homestand tonight, Oct. 14, against the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m. ET —TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). Tonight’s game is the second match of New York's four-game homestand, and is the second game of a stretch where they play 14 of 19 games at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers enter tonight’s contest with a 1-2-0 record (0-1-0 at home, 1-1-0 on the road), following a 6-3 loss in their home opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday. The Islanders enter tonight’s game with a 2-0-0 record (1-0-0 at home, 1-0-0 on the road), following a 4-3 win in their home opener against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.

RANGERS VS. ISLANDERS

All-Time: 122-101-19-7 (70-39-11-5 at home, 52-62-8-2 on the road)

2014-15: Tonight is the first of five contests this season between the Rangers and the Islanders, and the first of two matchups at Madison Square Garden. Following tonight’s game, the Rangers and Islanders will face off again on the following dates: January 13 (at MSG), January 27 (at Nassau Coliseum), February 16 (at Nassau Coliseum), March 10 (at Nassau Coliseum)

Last Season: The Rangers posted a 3-2-0 record (1-2-0 at home, 2-0-0 on the road) against the Islanders in 2013-14. Four of the five contests between the two teams were separated by two or fewer goals. The Blueshirts were 5-for-19 on the power play (26.3%), and 17-for-19 on the penalty kill (89.5%). Chris Kreider led all skaters with five points (two goals, three assists), while Mats Zuccarello led all skaters with four assists in five contests. Henrik Lundqvist posted a 2-1-0 record, along with a 2.01 GAA and a .933 SV% in three appearances against the Islanders. He established an NHL record for all-time outdoor wins by a goalie in a 2-1 victory over the Islanders at Yankee Stadium as part of the NHL's Stadium Series.

The Rangers have earned at least one point in 20 of their last 25 contests against the Islanders, dating back to December 17, 2009 (17-5-3 record over the span)

The Blueshirts have won at least one home game against the Islanders in 11 consecutive seasons, and have recorded at least one point in 17 of their last 22 home games against their Metropolitan Division rivals, dating back to March 5, 2007 (13-5-4 record over the span).

The Rangers list no former Islanders on their roster

The Islanders list one former Ranger on their roster: Chad Johnson (2009-10 - 2010-11)

INDIVIDUAL CAREER LEADERS VS. ISLANDERS

Henrik Lundqvist - 47 GP, 29-12-5, 2.07 GAA, .925 SV%, 5 SO - Lundqvist has posted an 8-1-0 record, along with a 1.42 GAA, a .949 SV%, and 2 SO in his last nine games against the Islanders, and has allowed one goal or fewer in six of the nine contests.

Martin St. Louis - 47 GP, 14-23-37 - St. Louis has registered a point in 12 of his last 17 games against the Islanders, tallying 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) over the span.

Rick Nash - 17 GP, 7-7-14 - Nash has tallied a point in 11 of 17 career games against the Islanders, and has recorded six points (three goals, three assists) in eight games against the Islanders since he joined the Rangers.

Marc Staal - 34 GP, 3-11-14 - Staal has tallied more assists and points against the Islanders than against any other NHL opponent. The Rangers' alternate captain has recorded a point in 11 of his last 16 games against the Islanders, tallying 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) over the span.

Chris Kreider - 6 GP, 2-4-6 - Kreider has registered more assists and points against the Islanders than against any other NHL opponent. He has recorded a point in four of six career games against the Islanders.

AV SQUADAlain Vigneault has reached the playoffs in seven of the last eight seasons, including each of the last six seasons. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the 2006-07 Jack Adams Award winner leads all NHL coaches in wins (359) and games coached (625), and ranks seventh among all coaches (minimum 300 games coached) in points percentage (.625) since the start of the 2006-07 season.

RICK ROLLINGRick Nash has tallied a goal/point in each of the first three games of the season, registering five points (four goals, one assist) over the span. The five-time NHL All-Star is tied for first in the NHL in goals (four), is tied for second in the NHL in game-winning goals (one), and is tied for third in the NHL in points (five) this season. Nash also leads the Rangers in goals, points, game-winning goals, and shooting percentage (44.4%), ranks second in shots on goal (nine), and is tied for second in plus/minus rating (plus-three). Nash is the only player in the NHL to have an active streak of 10 consecutive 20-goal seasons, and leads all NHL players in 5-on-5 goals per 60 minutes since joining the Blueshirts prior to the 2012-13 season.

SPIRIT OF ST. LOUISMartin St. Louis leads all NHL players in points (399) and ranks third among NHL players in assists (267) since the start of the 2009-10 season. He is tied for second in the NHL in plus/minus rating (plus-five) and is tied for fifth in the NHL in assists (three) this season. St. Louis leads the Rangers in assists and plus/minus rating, is tied for second in points (three), and leads all forward on the team in average ice time (17:40) in 2014-15. St. Louis is also one of two players in NHL history to skate in at least 1,000 career games, record 600 or more assists, register at least 950 points, and not amass more than 300 penalty minutes (along with Jean Ratelle). He ranks fourth among active players in career assists, sixth among active players in career points, and is 16 points away from tallying the 1,000th of his NHL career.

'THE DUKE' OF NEW YORKAnthony Duclair registered two assists, including his first career NHL assist/point on Thursday against Columbus. The 19-year-old became the first teenager to tally a point with the Rangers since J.T. Miller recorded an assist on February 28, 2013 vs. Tampa Bay. Duclair became the first teenager to record a multi-point game with the Blueshirts since Miller tallied two goals on February 7, 2013 against the Islanders, and became the first teenager to register a multi-assist game with the Rangers since Michael Del Zotto recorded two assists on March 25, 2010 at New Jersey. Duclair is tied for third among NHL rookies in assists (two) and plus/minus rating (plus-three), and is tied for fifth among NHL rookies in points (two) this season. He is also tied for second on the team in assists and plus/minus rating, and is tied for fifth on the team in points in 2014-15.

CAPTAIN MACRyan McDonagh was named the 27th captain in Rangers history on October 6. The Rangers' Team MVP in 2013-14 is the fourth-youngest captain in franchise history, and is the 11th defenseman to receive the honor. McDonagh leads the Rangers in average ice time (24:31), ranks second in blocked shots (seven), and is tied for fourth in shots on goal (seven). In the 2014 Playoffs, McDonagh tied for first among NHL defensemen in assists (13) and ranked second among NHL defensemen in points (17).

TOP OF THE HEAPSince entering the NHL in 2005-06, Henrik Lundqvist leads all goalies (minimum 200 appearances) in appearances (576), wins (310), GAA (2.27), and shutouts (50), and ranks second in SV% (.920).

DAN'S THE MANDan Girardi has played in more games as a Ranger (572) than any undrafted defenseman who was Draft eligible in franchise history (Note: The NHL Draft began prior to the start of the 1963-64 season). Since making his NHL debut on January 27, 2007, Girardi has played in more games than any undrafted defenseman in the NHL. Girardi, who ranks second on the Rangers' all-time playoff games played list (89), is tied for second in the NHL in blocked shots (10) this season. He has ranked in the top 10 in the NHL in blocked shots in every season since 2009-10, and has led the NHL in blocked shots twice (2010-11, 2012-13) over the span.

BY THE NUMBERS

132 - The Rangers have sold out 132 consecutive regular season and playoff games (104 regular season, 28 playoff). The streak began on November 3, 2011 against Anaheim.

27 - Rick Nash has registered a goal streak of three games or longer 27 times in his NHL career.

13 - Eight Rangers have worn #13 in franchise history. Kevin Hayes became the eighth Ranger to wear #13 when he made his NHL debut on Sunday against Toronto.